STAB SLAY AT BELMONT PK.
Stablehand vic’s ex arrested
A Belmont Park stablehand was fatally stabbed by her ex-boyfriend as she was walking a horse at the Nassau County racetrack early Sunday, authorities said.
The worker — identified by police sources as Maria Larin — was cooling down racehorse Our American Star following a workout at around 6:30 a.m. when José Franco-Martinez ran up to her in a barn and allegedly knifed her multiple times, according to law-enforcement sources.
The horse was spooked and took off at a gallop, alerting Belmont security something was wrong.
“Security became alarmed because the horse became free at that point,” said Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick, head of the Nassau County Homicide Squad. “So when they came responding to see what happened to the horse . . . they discovered [Larin] with multiple stab wounds.”
Franco-Martinez was caught outside the barn by a group of stablehands and a New York Racing Association guard, who held him until cops arrived, authorities said.
“We’ve come to determine that this is not a random act,” Fitzpatrick said. “This is a targeted incident.”
Track security gave Larin first aid, and emergency responders rushed her to an area hospital, but she could not be saved.
“We are in mourning,” said Lolita Shivmangal, daughter of and assistant to trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal.
Larin, 51, worked for Doodnauth Shivmangal as a hot walker, cooling down horses after workouts.
Larin “was a great human being, and she didn’t deserve what happened to her,” Lolita Shivmangal said.
Cops were working to determine how Franco-Martinez made it onto the premises.
Franco-Martinez, 53, initially entered the country with Larin before bouncing between the United States and El Salvador, according to horse-racing news outlet Daily Racing Form.
It was believed that he was once licensed by the New York State Gaming Commission, the Daily Racing Form reported, although it wasn’t clear in what capacity.
Authorities said he had previously worked at the racetrack, which last Sunday played host to Justify’s Triple Crown-clinching run in the Belmont Stakes.
Our American Star, unharmed in the attack, went on to place second in Belmont’s first race of the day.
Franco-Martinez — for whom cops couldn’t immediately confirm an address — was charged with second-degree murder.
He was slated to be arraigned Monday at 1st District Court in Hempstead.
Neither the New York State Gaming Commission nor the New York Racing Association, which operates Belmont Park, returned requests for comment.